Apparatus for cleaning plates



No. 62|,539. Patented Mar. 2|, 1899.

J. J. &. T. A. BAISBEGK.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PLATES. (Application filed May 17, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheet sShaet I.

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No. 62l,539. v Patented Mar. 2|, I899.

' J. J. 81. T. A. RAISBECK.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PLATES.

(Application filed May 17, 1898.)

(No Model.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES:

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'NITED ST T-Es PATENT FFICE.

JAMES J. RAISBEOK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND THOMAS A. RAISBECK, OF

- .BLOOMFIELD, NEV JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,539, dated March21, 1899.

' Application filed May 17. 1898. Serial No. 680,924. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES J. RAISBEOK, residing in the borough ofBronx, in the city and State of New York, and THOMAS A. RAIS- BECK,residing at Bloomfield, Essex county, in the State of New Jersey, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for CleaningPlates, of whichthe fol lowing is a specification.

The invention is intended more particularly for cleaningelectrotype-plates by removing the molding material, some of whichremains on the face of the electrotype-plates after their removal fromthe waxy molds on which they have been electrolytically deposited. Wewill describe the invention as thus applied.

We subject the face of the plate to a current of benzin or othersuitable solvent or detergent simultaneously with a gentle friction. Weaccomplish this by a machine which moves the plate to be cleaned severaltimes forward and backward in contact with a moving brush of the propersoft material adjusted sufficiently near to act in all interstices. Inthe most complete form of the invention the brush is caused to reverseits motion on the plate, and thereby to act more effectively in therecesses. We have devised various details of importance, as will befully set forth farther on.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification andrepresent what we consider the best means for carrying out theinvention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation, Fig.

-2 a plan view, and Fig. 3 an end view, showing the entire machine on asmall scale. Figs. 4 and 5 show modified forms of the brushing device.Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of a portion. Fig. 4; corresponds toFig. 4, with the addition that provisions are made for detaching thebrushes from the revolving disk. Fig. 7 is a View showing, on anenlarged scale, the devices for effecting the opposite travel of thetable. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View taken in the plane of one ofthe tappetslots and looking .in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 7, thepulley 0 being omitted. Fig. 9 is an enlarged front view illustratingthe adjustable connection of the brush-tenon with the carriage-socket.horizontal section through the brush-tenon and carriage-socket, the viewbeing taken in the plane indicated in the dotted line 10 10, Fig. 9.Figs. 11 and 12 are also fragmentary Views illustrating transversesections of the movable and fixed clamps carried by the table.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they appear. 4

A indicates the fixed parts, of cast-iron or other suitable material,supernumerals being used to indicate special portions when necessary. v

A is a cross-bridge or a straight transverse way held at a proper heightabove the main body, which is finished to serve as a. guide for acarriage B, to which is adj ustably, but stiffly, attached a brush D,which may be of the size and material ordinarily used when this cleaningoperation is effected by hand. A tenon D, extending upward from thebrush, is received in a socket in the front of the carriage B and whenadjusted at the proper height is- Secured by a pinching-screw O.

A horizontal table E, of rectangular form, is supported on four wheelsE, which run on horizontal ways A A extending longitudi nally at thesides. The edges of the ways A are also planed. One receives a corre*sponding plain vertical guiding-lip E The other is traversed byhorizontal wheels E,

Fig. 10 is a transverse provided under the table and pressed outwardaway from the center line by sufficiently stout spiral springs E, asshown in Figs. 2 and 3, said springs being carried by the table.

We will use the term pan in the sense in which it is generally orfrequently used in the trade to indicate the electrotype-plate after ithas been tinned and backed. These extended rectangular sheets oftype-metal, with the copper face presenting the finelywrought surfacesfor the printing, are usually made of uniform size. We adapt the widthof our table E therefor.

The upper face of the table is provided with horizontal clamping-lips Enear one edge and with movable clamps G near the opposite edge. and areactuated by a longitudinally-movable These clamps G extend under thetable bar H, which is carried in supports under the table and projectsat the front and is equipped with a convenient cross-bar H, serving as ahandle by which it may be readily drawn forward or thrust backward. Itis also provided with inclined surfaces h, which act on the clamps todraw them inward when the handle H is pulled. This bar II H it willusually retain its position by friction, but we provide for insuringits'retention in the closed position during the main portion of itstravel by a'cord I, attached to the bar and running over a pulley A atthe front end of the machine and carrying a weight I. This cord isadjusted to allow the weight to strike the floor, or there may be a stopspecially provided, if required, at each forward traverse of the tableE.

The. machine is never stopped to remove a pan and introduce anotherexcept when the table is near its extreme forward movement. At thisperiod the cord I is slacked, and the attendant, thrusting on the rodII, opens the'clamps. The pan which has been treated is then lifted andplaced on its edge and a new pan introduced and the operation resumed.If the attendant neglects to pull the bar II, it will be pulled by thecord I, and the clamp thus closed will remain closed during the severaltraverses of the table; but at the completion of each forward movementof the table the bar II is relieved from the tension of the cord I. Onthrusting the bar II backward when in this position it will remain backwith the clamps open.

The reciprocating movement of the carriage B is quite rapid and iseffected by a pitman J, engaging a pin B on the front of the carriagewith a crank K on the overhung end of a shaft'K, extendinglongitudinally of the machine 011 one side at a higher level. This shaftis supported by brackets from the main framing and also by supportswhich extend directly to the floor. The shaft receives motion through apulley K from a belt L, driven by a steam-engine or other suitablepower. Pulleys K on this shaft carry two belts M M the belt M beingcrossed. These engage with pulleys O and P, running loosely on a shaftN, extending longitudinally of the machine a little below the level ofthe table E. A clutch-piece Q, feathered on this shaft N and adapted toengage with clutch-surfaces presented toward it by the wheels '0 and P,revolving in opposite directions, controls the rotation of this shaft N.A bevel gear-wheel N on the front end of this shaft engages with acorresponding bevel gear -wheel R on a shaft R, extending across themachine below the table. A spur gear-wheel R on this shaft engages witha rack E which extends longitudinally along the under face of the tableE.

S is a tumbling-bob turning on a fixed center 3 and carrying alateralarm S, which engages with the clutch-pie'ce Q. The table E movesadjacent to the part S and is armed with two projections E E", which asthe table traverses successively strike the devices J and throw thetable by the aid of gravity into the opposite position, thus reversingthe rotation of the shaft R, giving the required reciprocations to thetable.

In the supporting-frame below the traverse of the table is an extendedtankA", which is kept always partially filled with a solution of potashor other liquid, which when properly warmed will under the gentlebutactive friction imparted by the brush rapidly remove the dirt, composedof the relics of the waxy mold, remaining on the face of theelectrotype-plate.

A is a pipe leading the cleaning fluid downward from the tank.

A is the casing of an ejector, which maybe in all respects, as set forthin the patent to Nathan Cope, dated January 27, 1803, No. 37,5 l2,operating by a current of steam received through a pipe A and A is apipe through which the liquid is driven by the force of the jet of steamand is delivered in a continuous and sufficientl y powerful stream uponthe work through the nozzle A.

There may be other ordinary and suitable attachments. We construct themain portions of the frame in separate pieces bolted together. IVe applya removable hood to cover the cross-bridge-A with itsrapidly-reciprocatin g carriage and attached brush.

A is a removable pocket arranged to receive matter which shall drop downfrom the tank A as semisolid particles of wax or other deposit in theliquid. Sometimes this may collect denser material, as bits oftypemetal. It can be detached at intervals and emptied. The tank shouldbe kept liberally supplied with the cleansing liquid. Then benzin isused, the evaporation is rapid. Our experiments indicate that the smallamount of fresh liquid supplied at the termination to rinse the face ofeach plate if added to the benzin in the tank will just about maintainthe supply.

Modifications maybe made without departing from the principle orsacrificing the advantages of the invention. We can make various changesin the proportions of the framing and other parts. We can use a pump tosupply the stream of detergent through the pipeA instead oftheinjectorA.Thefigures show pulleys and a belt arranged for running a rotary pump,so that the machine is adapted to serve with either. A pump ispreferable when a volatile liquid, as benzin, is used for the detergentfluid. In using a solution of potash or other alkali in water the heatdue to the accession of steam in the injector is of advantage. In theuse of benzin such heat would be objectionable by the increasedevaporation it would make.

Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. We have shown thebrush reciprocated rapidly across in straight lines, which as the table,with the plate attached, reciprocates slowly in the longitudinal pathacts upon the plate in a series of oblique lines. Such brush may berevolved on an upright axis, as shown in Fig. 4, or on a horizontal axisD as shown in Fig. 5. It is preferable to reverse about as we haveshown. We attach importance to the reversing, because it not only keepsthe brush fibers straight and lively, but also in each act of reversinggives a rolling or gouging action with the several fibers peculiarlyeffective in searching the recesses in the plate. I

The extent of the transverse reciprocations of the brush may be variedby adjusting the position of the crank-pin outward and inward from thecenter, so as to vary the throw of the crank.

WVe claim as our invention 1. In a machine for cleaning plates, a brushand means for'inoving it alternately in reverse directions withoutdisengaging it from the plate, to produce gentle friction and exert agouging action, in combination with a reciprocating table E and clampsG, with means for presenting liquid detergent in a stream, and means forreceiving and storing such detergent after each use and repeating itsapplication, all substantially as herein specified.

2. In a machine for cleaning plates, a brush and means for reciprocatingit to act alternately in reverse directions, in combination with thecarrying-table E and clamps G, and with means for presenting liquiddetergent in a stream, and means for receiving and storing suchdetergent after each use, and repeating its application, and withprovision for adjusting the pressure and the extent of the motion of thebrush, all substantially as herein specified.

3. In a machine for cleaning plates, a brush and means for moving it toproduce gentle friction, in combination with means for presenting liquiddetergent in a stream, and means for receiving and storing suchdetergent after each use, and repeating its application, and with amoving table E and means for reciprocating it, and with clamps Gforholding the plates successively on such table, and with means as thesliding bar H with its inclined surfaces h for controlling such clampsat will, all substantially as herein specified.

4. In a machine forcleaning plates, abrush and means for moving it toproduce gentle friction, in combination with means for presenting liquiddetergent in a stream, and means for receiving and storing suchdetergent after each use and repeating its application, and with amoving table E and means for reciprocating it, and with clamps G forholding the plates successively on such table, means as the sliding barH with its inclined surfaces 72. for controlling such clamps at will,means as the cord I and weight I,-

for exerting a gentle force to hold the clamps closed, and means forautomatically relaxing such force at regular intervals to facilitateexchanging the plates, all substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that we claim the invention above set forth we affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses. Y

JAMES J. RAISBEGK. THOMAS A. RAISBEOK.

Witnesses:

EDWARD A. RAIsnEcK, M. F. BOYLE.

